Seen the movie ‘Eat, Pray, Love’? It’s worth a watch as Julia Robert’s strolls around Ubud’s markets and cycles through the rice fields on a journey of discovery and peace. I decided I wanted my own ‘Eat, pray, love’ experience and headed off to Bali to find culture, sanctuary and spiritual awakening (cheesy huh?). Ubud, the setting for the movie, is the culture capital of Bali. Set towards the middle of the island, up in the hills, Ubud is surrounded by lush green jungle and rice paddies.
It’s a small but quite busy town, becoming very popular with tourists but still feels very authentic. The locals are also so friendly and welcoming. The main street is lined with cafes, restaurants, markets and art shops. Locals make their prayers every morning so the streets are always lined with flower petals on the floor from offerings. Combined with the green palm trees and bright flowers this quaint town is incredibly beautiful and pretty, a distance away from the busy, noisy beach resorts down South. So what’s there to do here?
Visit the Cheeky Monkey’s at the Sacred Forest
Within walking distance from the town, the sacred monkey forest is a sanctuary and temple complex housing just over 600 monkeys. You can stroll through the forest, past temples and intricate bridges surrounded by jungle. The monkeys are everywhere but be warned- they are not as cute as they appear! They can grab items from you but if you’re sensible and don’t get too close or bring food to feed them you should be fine. If you decide to feed them then just be careful- they can get angry! I suppose even monkeys get hangry haha!
Go Exploring
I loved just walking around, through small little rice paddies and local houses, stumbling across temples, local shops and markets. Just breathing in the warm air, listening to the tropical sounds of nature, whilst getting lost was pretty marvellous. I enjoyed looking around the small temples and simply walking around town taking in the atmosphere. You don’t always have to be ‘going somewhere’ – getting lost can be fun too!
Check Out the Rice Terraces
The essence of Ubud is it’s lush green rice fields, lined with palm trees. I couldn’t believe how green everything was. Tegallalang Rice Terraces are one of the most popular, offering stunning views over the large hills. I hired a driver who drove me here and to a few other places which worked out reasonably cheap for the day. You can also do The Campuhan Ridge walk, easily accessible from town.
Stop at the Karsa Kafe, set amongst the fields and grab something to eat. It takes about 2 hours return and can get hot in the day so bring lots of water. I went in the afternoon but wished I’d got up for sunrise, I imagine this would be a fantastic and peaceful time to do the walk also. I enjoyed this walk more than the terraces as I got to chill by myself and it felt more like I was ‘exploring’ rather than viewing the terraces along with everyone else.
Bathe in Holy Waters at Tirta Empul
Tirta Empul is a temple popular for its holy spring water, where locals will perform ‘cleansing’ rituals in the water from a natural spring. The purification bath is lined with water spouts and the bathers will cleanse themselves under each spout, working their way from left to right. This temple gets busy so I’d suggested going in off peak season or very early in the morning. It’s quite a magical and spiritual place and you can even get in the water yourself if you wish. This one is defo worth a visit!
Tegenungan Waterfall
This is up there with the best waterfalls I’ve seen! So beautiful and it just captures the magic of Bali. I was so thankful I got up early for this one as at 8am there were only a couple more tourists and a few local kids. Pretty much had it to myself. Plus the early morning mist was rising up from the water leaving a real mystical feel.
You have to climb down a few steep steps to get here but it’s 100% worth it. The sounds from the water and wildlife were like something straight out of a medication app. And the water is still warm enough (just) for a refreshing morning swim, a fantastic way to start the day. This is Bali!
Climb Mt Batur for Sunrise
Be prepared for an early start in the dark but after around 2 hours of climbing this (fairly steep) mountain you will be rewarded with spectacular views. As long as you are reasonably fit you will manage this. I have patella tendinitis on my knees and although uncomfortable was able to climb it without too much hassle. Watching the sun come up over the mountain and looking down on the clouds was quite spectacular. Some views you have to work for!
Visit the Local Market
There is a tourist market and a morning market for the locals, the later in my opinion being far more interesting. From before dawn to around 9am is the busiest time as the locals head to the market for fresh fruit and veg. I managed to get up at 6am and wandered the market where I only saw 1 other foreigner. This is much more authentic than the tourist market and worth the early start to capture Balinese living in its true form. The colours, the smells, the atmosphere- there were so many photography opportunities I didn’t know where to look first!
Unwind at a Spa
Ubud is full of spas from cheap to more expensive ones but most are pretty well priced for what you get and incredible value for money than anything back home. I found Tjampuhan Spa, which was walking distance from town (just!) and situated in the jungle right by the river. For the equivalent of ยฃ30 I had a massage and body scrub, a flower bath and then use of the hot and cold pools, plus swimming pool. The room was open at the end so you’re practically in the jungle. The best wind down time I could have asked for!
Head to a Dance Performance
Ubud Palace holds daily performances showcasing traditional dances. Tickets are cheap and easily picked up during the day or even on the night but be sure to arrive in good time for the best seats. I sat on the floor at the front around the stage and with the audience being fairly small, it felt quite intimate as the dancers swirled around in colourful costumes. A relaxed and cultural way to spend the evening. Ubud doesn’t have any late bars or loud clubs so the evenings have a very much chilled vibe (which I love!).
So there are my top things to do in Ubud. Hope you enjoyed reading- any comments or questions more than welcome below. Maybe you have other suggestions on what to do here?!
You might enjoy reading:ย 5 Reasons Why Every Girl Should Travel Solo
READ THE BOOK! Get it at Amazon UK or Amazon US
